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Biomedical subjects

J H Cossar

Publications and source records attributed to J H Cossar.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

A comparison of travel related ID admissions in Glasgow: (1985; 1998/99).

A comparative study was made of patients admitted over 12 months to the principal infectious diseases unit for Glasgow in 1985 and in 1998/99. During this interval UK travel statistics show a 135% growth in visits abroad and a 5% rise to 17% in destinations with a risk of malaria. Travel associated admissions rose by 96% to a total of 108. Patients of Asian/Oriental ethnicity declined from 55% to 18%, whilst Caucasians increased from 38% to 81%. Travellers aged 20-39 years formed the modal age groups (51% and 50%). Gastro-intestinal problems accounted for the largest single diagnostic category in both study periods, 38% and 40% respectively. In-patients diagnosed with malaria fell by 20%; these figures are cause for encouragement to those involved in the teaching and dissemination of advice on malaria prophylaxis. The findings re-enforce the need for the continuation and expansion of travel health education for both healthcare professionals and the public.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Epidemiology of travel.

The unprecedented scale and speed of contemporary international travel means that ever increasing numbers of travellers are exposed to unfamiliar infections and other hazards. Since 1973, surveillance has been conducted at the Communicable Diseases (Scotland) Unit on illnesses affecting returning travellers. This has helped define the perspective of illness associated with travel, to evaluate the effectiveness of pre-travel health advice and to develop a computerised data base designed to give advice on the prevention of travellers' illnesses. These and other epidemiological studies suggest that: (a) younger travellers experience more illness (b) the greater the climatic and cultural contrast between the traveller's country of origin and the destination country, the higher the risk (c) by far the commonest afflictions the traveller is likely to experience are diarrhoea and vomiting (d) the cost of travel-related illness in the UK is in excess of pounds 11 million.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Immunisation and health advice for travellers: the role of the general practitioner.

More and more travellers go to ever more widespread destinations. Diverse sources of advice exist on the protection of travellers against medical hazards encountered abroad. This study attempts to show that the General Practitioner (GP) is the best person to give pre-travel health advice on immunisation and malaria prophylaxis. A postal questionnaire was sent to all 681 GPs in the Greater Glasgow area, to assess their views on the provision of health advice for travellers; in addition we asked whether they knew about the free access to a computerised database on travel health advice (Travax) provided by the Communicable Diseases (Scotland) Unit, and what their view was of the usefulness of this service. The overwhelming majority (87%) of responding GPs felt that pre-travel health advice was best provided in the primary care setting. This group of GPs appear enthusiastic about providing health advice for travellers, in accord with the apparent preference of travellers themselves, and 85% indicated that they would find the travel health advice service a useful aid.

Family Practice↗
PubMed1991

What do Scots die of when abroad?

Information was obtained on 952 persons who travelled from Scotland between 1973 and 1988 and who died while abroad. In the older age group cardio-vascular disease was the major cause of death whereas in the younger group traumatic deaths were commonest. Most died in the holiday resorts bordering the Mediterranean and the question is posed on the need for specific advice to those who are most vulnerable before embarking on overseas travel.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

A cumulative review of studies on travellers, their experience of illness and the implications of these findings.

A cumulative review of illness experienced by 13,816 travellers returning to Scotland since 1977, shows an overall attack rate of 36%. Alimentary complaints predominated; 18% of travellers had these alone and a further 10% had other symptoms as well as their gastro-intestinal disorder. Higher attack rates were noted in those taking package holidays. Inexperience of travel, smoking, more southerly travel and younger age (particularly those between 20- and 29-years-old) were other contributing factors. A similar pattern emerged from a I year study of hospital in-patients with travel related admissions. Serological studies of 470 travellers showed that 20% had incomplete immunity to poliomyelitis; 25% of those tested (312 travellers) had serological evidence of typhoid immunisation, I.9% (of 760 travellers) had antibodies to Legionella pneumophila, 64% (5II travellers tested) had antibodies to hepatitis A, 87% (288 tested) had adequate levels of tetanus antitoxin but only 40% of the 225 travellers tested had adequate levels of diphtheria antitoxin. Amongst a subgroup of 645 travellers the travel agent was the most frequently consulted source of pre-travel health advice. This carries particular significance for the dissemination of relevant advice in view of the inadequacies found from study of the health information in travel brochures. These findings, viewed against the perspective of the continuing growth in international travel, means that travellers, the medical profession, the travel trade, health educators, global health agencies and health authorities in those countries accepting and encouraging tourists, will be required to recognise the health implications of further tourism development if this problem of illness associated with travel is to be brought under control.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

How necessary is immunoglobulin for travellers going abroad?

Sera obtained from 511 travellers overseas from the West of Scotland were tested for antibody to hepatitis A; 64 per cent were seropositive. The seropositivity rate varied with age, ranging from 30 per cent in those aged under 20 years to 89 per cent in those over 60. These findings indicate that the beneficial effect of giving immunoglobulin to prevent hepatitis A is likely to be high in younger travellers but becomes increasingly less necessary in older persons.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Health hazards of international travel.

The growth of travel and the increasing numbers of those affected by travel-related illnesses, some of a serious nature, will cause this subject to demand the attention of the medical profession, the travel trade, travellers themselves and the health authorities of countries receiving tourists. Provision of appropriate advice for the traveller is a shared responsibility, best channelled mainly through travel agencies; it can moreover be shown to be cost-beneficial. Continued monitoring of illness in travellers and provision of information systems geared to this problem and its prevention are fully justified. They should be based on traditional channels of communication and currently-available modern technology, and be readily accessible to medical and related workers. Increased collaboration between medical workers, health educators and those involved in the travel trade would be a positive and useful contribution towards the reduction of illness and discomfort among travellers and the associated expense incurred by the various national health services concerned. There are clearly economic benefits from the development of international tourism, but these have to be balanced in countries accepting tourists by attention to the prevention of illnesses associated with travel.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Illness associated with a package holiday in Romania.

A study of 370 holidaymakers returning from Romania revealed that 279 (75%) reported illness. Alimentary symptoms predominated and were recorded either alone or along with other symptoms by 71 per cent of the tourists. The highest illness rate (82%) occurred in those under 39 years of age and those over 60 years had least illness (38%). Most of the tourists attributed their illnesses to the supply, handling or preparation of food and drink. Twenty-six (21%) tourists had serological evidence of typhoid immunisation out of 121 from whom blood samples were obtained. Most of the tourists studied (85%) were immune to poliomyelitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Surveillance of hepatitis B virus infection in Scotland, 1973-1982.

Since 1973 epidemiological surveillance of laboratory-confirmed hepatitis B virus infection has been undertaken in Scotland. During the ten-year period, 1973-82, 2893 persons with laboratory evidence of infection were reported and the number increased by almost threefold between the beginning and the end of this time. Males accounted for 66% of the patients and intravenous drug abuse was the most commonly encountered risk factor. The low risk to laboratory staff is confirmed, but among National Health Service hospital staff nurses accounted for 54% of those reported.

Adult↗